Rhode Island bill would charge $20 to access porn

Two lawmakers from Rhode Island have introduced a bill that would block online pornography unless state residents pay a $20 fee.

Internet providers would be required to block "sexual content and patently offensive material" under the bill introduced last week by Democratic Sens. Frank Ciccone and Hanna Gallo. The Providence Journal reports the bill would also establish a reporting mechanism for consumers to report unblocked content that should be or blocked content that should not be.

According to the bill, if online distributors of sexual content do not comply with the filter, the attorney general or a consumer could file a civil suit of up to $500 for each piece of content reported, but not blocked.

The money made from the fees would go to state's attorney general to fund the Council on Human Trafficking.

KMBC reoports Regulating pornography has been an ongoing debate among state and federal legislative bodies. Florida's legislature last month declared pornography a public health risk.

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